Wrench.



b zmm I I Attorneys W. R. WELLER.

' WRENCH.

APPLICATION FILED JAN- 31, 1915- 1,179,249. v Patented Apr. 11,1916. 27.17 if IIHI Witnesses Inventor WILLIAM R. WELLER, OF MILLSTONE,MARYLAND.

WRENCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 31, 1916. Serial No. 75,413.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM R. WELLER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Millstone, in the county of Washington and State ofMaryland, have invented a new and useful Wrench, of which the followingis a specification.

The present invention appertains to wrenches, and aims to provide anovel and improved wrench for removing or applying the nut of an axlespindle which holds the hub of a vehicle wheel upon the spindle, thedevice being applicable to the wheel and nut, whereby the wheel can beused as a lever or prize for loosening or tightening the nut in aconvenient and effective manner.

It is the object of the invention to provide a wrench of the natureindicated having novel means for attaching it to the spokes of a vehiclewheel, to hold the wrench in place, and whereby the nut can be held bythe wheel when it is removed or applied, rendering it convenient toremove the wheel from or place it upon the axle spindle.

Another object of the invention is to provide the wrench with a ratchetdevice to enhance the utility and efliciency thereof.

With the foregoing and other objects in View which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the preciseembodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within thescope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein vFigure 1 is a side elevation of the wrench. Fig. 2 is a median sectionof the wrench taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1, portions being shown inelevation. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail View illustrating one of thespoke engaging devices in position to pass between the spokes. Fig. 4 isa fragmental detail of the handle part of the wrench illustrating thestop plate in position so that the ratchet device is efl'ective.

In carrying out the invention, there is provided a sheet metal plate ormember 1 havmg diverging tapered arms or prongs 2 adapted to be insertedbetween the spokes of a vehicle wheel, and the plate 1 also has a collaror boss 3 projecting away from the arms 2. A tubular member 4 isjournaled for rotation through the collar 3, and a detachable socketmember 5 is threaded or otherwise attached to one end of the member 4between the arms 2 and is adapted to rest against the plate 1. Varioussizes of socket members 5 can be interchangeably employed, so as toaccommodate various nuts. A pin or rivet 6 is engaged diametricallythrough the tubular member 4 adjacent the other end thereof, and awooden or equivalent handle 7 has a reduced end 8 fitting within thelast mentioned end of the member 4. A longitudinal pin 9 is engagedthrough the handle 7 and has an eye 10 at its inner end embracing thetransverse pin 6, to anchor the handle to the member 4, the outer end ofthe pin 9 being provided with means 11- for holding the handle 7 uponsaid pin. A collar 12 is slidable upon the tubular member 4 between theends thereof, and another collar 13 is slidable and rotatable upon saidmember between the collars 3 and 12. A diametrical pin 14 has its endsengaging the collar 12 and works within diametrically oppositelongitudinal slots 15 with which the tubular member 4 is providedbetween its ends, a. coiled wire expansion spring 16 being disposedwithin the member 4 and being confined between the pins 6 and 14, so asto normallymove the collar 12 toward the plate 1, so that the collars 3,13 and 12 are brought together.

The collars3 and 13 have interengageable ratchet teeth 17, and thecollars 13 and 12 Patented Apr. 11, 1916;

have reversed interengageable ratchet teeth 1 18, the advantages ofwhich will be pointed out hereinafter. The ratchet device is effectivewhen the collar 12 is free to move toward the handle 7, and when it isdesired to lock the tubular member 4 rigidly to the plate or body member1, a stop plate 19 is moved against the collar 12 to prevent it frommoving away from the collar 3, to thus hold the three collars inengagement until the stop plate is removed from the collar 12. This stopplate 19 is ofarcuate cross section so as to snugly fit the member 4:betweenthe handle 7 and collar 12, and is provided with a longitudinalslot 20 having angular or lateral notches 21 and 22 in its inner andouter ends, respectively. The pin 6 projects through the slot 20 and acoiled wire expansion spring 23 is disposed upon the protruding end ofthe pin 6 between a washer 23 upon said pin and bearing against theplate 19 and the head 24: of the projecting end of the pin 6. The washer23 is thus pressed against the plate 19, holding it against the member 4and also preventing the accidental movement of the stop plate 19. lVhenthe stop plate 19 is moved toward the handle 7, as seen in Fig. 4, itcan be turned slightly to engage the notch 21 with the pin 6, thusholding the plate. 19 in idle position, spaced from the collar 12, sothat said collar can move longitudinally upon the member 4. By turningthe plate 19 back slightly, it can be shifted longitudinally against thecollar 12, and by turning the plate farther its notch 22 will be engagedto the pin 6, to hold the plate 19 in place, thus preventing the collar12 from moving away from the collar 3. In this position of the plate 19,the collars 3, 13 and.

12, are held in engagement, and conse- .quently, the member or plate 1and member 4 cannot rotate relative to one another.

The free ends of the arms 2 are equipped with means for holding saidarms assembled with the spokes of the wheel, and to this end, a pair offingers 25' have their side pieces overlapping and pivoted to the freeend of each arm 2, a pin 26 being engaged to the free end of sa1d armupon WhlCll the fingers 25 are pivotally mounted. A palr of "togglelinks 27 is provided for each pair of fingers 25 and have theirremote-ends pivotally engaging pins 28 carried by the free ends of thefingers 25, and the adjacent ends of the links 27 are pivotally engagedupon a pin 29 outstanding from the free end of a rod 30, there being oneof said rods for each of the arms 2. The rods 30 are disposed upon theouter sides of the arms 2 approximately parallel therewith, andsaid'rods 30 -have longitudinal slots 31 through which the pins 26project, so that the rods are guided for longitudinal reciprocation. Thearms 2 are provided between their ends with outstanding apertured ears32 through which the rods 30 pass loosely, and the adjacent ends of therods 30 have inwardly projecting ofiset's 33 at opposite sides of thetubular member 4. Coiled wire expansion springs 34 are disposed upon therods 30 between the 7 ofisets33 thereof and the ears 32, and'normallymove the rods 30 toward the handle 7, to thereby move the joints of thetoggle links 27 toward the ends of the arms 2. This separates the remoteends of the links 27, to thus swing the fingers 25 apart toapproximately right angles with the arms 2, as seen in Fig.1. The freeportions of the arms 2 which pass between the spokes, are preferablycovered or faced, as at 35, with leather, rubber, or other equivalentmaterial for preventing the device from marring or scratching thespokes, and the fingers 25 are also preferably covered or faced withsimilar material, as at 36.

As a means for moving the rods 30 against the tension of the springs 34,a pair of levers 37 of channel-shape, have certain ends hinged orpivoted, as at 38, to the opposite side edges of the plate 1 between thearms 2, and the levers 37 diverge from one another and project indirections opposite to the directions in which the arms 2 project.Pivoted to the flanges of the levers 37, are toggle links 39, therebeing two pairs of them, and the adjacent ends of the links 39 arepivotally engaged, as at 40, to the offsets 33. The links 39 arenormally arranged at an obtuse angle relative to one another, wherebywhen the levers 37 are swung toward one another manually, the joints ofthe links 39 are forced away from the handle 7, thus moving the rods 30outwardly, and this will move the joints of the. toggle links 27likewise. Consequently, the fingers 25 will be swung together, as seeninFig. 3, in order that they .can pass between the spokes readily.

In using the wrench to remove the nut from the spindle, the levers 37are pressed together,.thus swinging the fingers 25 toward one another,which enables the arms 2 to be readily inserted between opposite spokesof the wheel, the socket member 5 being simultaneously applied to thenut. Then,when the levers 37 are released, the fingers 25 are swungapart under the influence of the springs 34, and they bear against theinner sides of the spokes, thus holding the arms 2,fiXed to the wheel.The wheel is now turned, either by moving the entire vehicle. or byjacking up the wheel and-rotating it manually, and this providesconsiderable leverage or purchase for loosening the nut in an easymanner. The wheel can thus be spun or rotated for unscrewing the nut. Inthe meantime, the stop plate 19 is in the position illustrated in Fig.1, to hold the collars 12, 13 and 3 in engagement, whereby the socketmember 5 will rotate with the wheel. When the nut is unscrewed, thewheel can be removed, and the nut will be carried with the wheel, sothat when the wheel is again-applied, the

plate 1, the ratchet teeth snapping past one another, and the collar 12being forced ahead with the collar 13. When the wheel is rotated in theother direction, the collar 13 is rotated with the collar 3, but thecollar 12 is forced away from the collar 13 by the ratchet teeth 18, theratchet teeth 18 snapping past one another.

The present wrench provides a convenient and eflicient device forremoving and applying the nuts of axle spindles, and has a number ofadvantages which will be obvious to those versed in the art.

Having thus described the invention,

what is claimed as new is:

1. A wrench embodying a wheel engaging member, a rotatable membercarried thereby and having a nut socket, a ratchet device between saidmembers for allowing them to rotate relative to one another, and meansoperable for positively connecting said members so that they rotatetogether.

2. A wrench embodying a wheel engaging member, a member journaledtherethrough and having a nut socket, a collar slidable and rotatableupon the second mentioned member, said collar and first mentioned memberhaving interengageable ratchet teeth, a second collar slidable only uponthe second mentioned member, the two collars having reversedinterengageable ratchet teefih, the first mentioned collar beingdisposed between the first mentioned member and second mentioned collar,spring means for moving the second mentioned collar toward the firstmentioned member, and means for preventing the movement of the secondmentioned collar away from the first mentioned member.

3. A wrench embodying a wheel engaging member having a collar, a tubularmember journaled through said collar, and having a nut socket anddiametrically opposite slots between its ends, a collar slidable uponthe tubular member and having a diametrical pin projecting through saidslots, a third collar between the aforesaid collars. the first mentionedand third mentioned collars having interengageable ratchet teeth, thesecond and third mentioned collars having reversed interengageableratchet teeth, a spring within the tubular member bearing against saidpin to ,move the second mentioned collar toward the first mentioned one,and an adjustable stop upon the tubular member for preventing themovement of the second mentioned collar away from the first mentionedone. u

4. A wrench embodyinga member hav: ing arms extending therefrom to passbetween the spokes of a wheel, a socket member carried by said memberbetween said arms, fingers pivoted to said arms adjacent the free endsthereof and spring pressed to swing behind the spokes.

5. A wrench embodyingamember having arms extending therefrom to passbetween the spokes of a wheel, a socket member carried by said memberbetween said arms, fingers pivoted to said arms adjacent the free endsthereof and spring pressed to swing behind the spokes, and manuallyoperable means carried by the first mentioned member and operativelyconnected to said fingers for swinging them so that they can passbetween the spokes.

6. A wrench embodying amember having diverging arms to pass between thespokes of a wheel, a socket member carried by said member between saidarms, a pair of fingers pivoted to each arm adjacent the free endthereof, a pair of toggle links pivoted to each pair of fingers, a pairof reciprocable rods extending along said arms and connected to thejoints of said links, and means for operating said rods.

7 A wrench embodyinga member having diverging arms to pass between thespokes of a wheel, a socket member carried by said member between saidarms, a pair of fingers pivotedto each arm adjacent the free endthereof, a pair of toggle links pivoted e0 each pair of fingers, a pairof reciprocable rods extending along said arms and connected to thejoints of said links, springs for normally moving said rods inwardly,and manually operable means carried by the first mentioned member formoving said rods outwardly.

8. A wrench embodyingamember having diverging arms to pass between thespokes of a wheel, means carried by the free ends of said arms forengaging behind the spokes,

'reciprocatory rods extending along said arms and connected at theirouter ends to sald means, a pair of opposite levers pivoted to saidmember, toggle links connecting said pivoted to each pair of fingers,reciprocab'le rods extending along said arms and having their outer endsconnected to the joints of said links, springs for normally moving saidrods inwardly, a pair of opposite levers pivoted to said member, togglelinks connecting said levers and inner ends of the rods whereby the rodsare moved outwardly when the levers are swung together, and a socketmember carried by the "first men- 10 tioned member between the armsthereof.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM R. WELLER. Witnesses:

JEssE O. GARVIN, C. 'E. SENSEL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five eents each,'by addressingthe Commissioner of "Patents, Washington, J). G.

